POLISH NEWS BYTES
Compiled by Robert Strybel, Warsaw Correspondent
EU leaders support Tusk’s suspension of asylum rights Polish PM Donald Tusk has announced that Poland would suspend accepting asylum applications to protect national security. The decision has sparked intense debate both domestically and across Europe, but the European Union’s leadership has expressed support for the move. Tusk has defended it, saying the decision was a direct response to what he described as a “hybrid war” being waged against Poland and the European Union by Russia and Belarus. He argued that their governments are deliberately organizing mass border-crashing movements of illegal migrants in an attempt to destabilize the European Union.
Extreme poverty reaches 16-year high in Poland – European poverty monitor The annual report by the European Anti-Poverty Network has shown that over 500,000 Polish children and some 430,000 elderly Poles are now severely impoverished, unable to afford the most basic needs such as housing, food, clothing and medicine. Overall, in 2023 this affected 2.5 million Poles (6.6% of the population), up from 1.7 million (4.6%) the previous year. After coming to power in 2015, the family-friendly Law & Justice party launched a large-scale benefit program that all but did away with child poverty, lowered retirement age and even provided regular benefits for grandparents caring for their grandkids. The internationally disruptive effects of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the pandemic and recent flood disaster have compounded the crisis which may take years to resolve.
Shield East is expected to prevent an attack from the East Under the code-name Shield East, Poland is now building fortifications along the full length of its 266-mile border with Belarus. The obstacles will include tank ditches and concrete blocks, interspersed with stretches of thick, natural forests combined with man-made swamps and quagmires to impede invading ground forces. Iron Dome air defenses will intercept warplanes as well as missiles and drones. The project will cost some $2.5 billion and be completed over the next two years. Fortifications will also be built along Poland’s 332-mile border with Ukraine in case Russia wins the war.
Polish army to train Ukrainian volunteers to fight Russia
Ukrainian volunteers who wish to fight in the war against Russia can apply at the Polish consulate to be trained by the Polish army. The recruitment process at the newly established recruitment center in Lublin is the first of its kind in Europe. Its establishment was announced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The first 200 Ukrainians living in Poland and other countries have already signed up.
Foreigners now make up 6.7% of Poland’s work force Poland’s once nearly homogeneous labor market is changing with foreigners now accounting for 6.7% of the country’s labor force. Poles moving abroad, the country’s record low birth rate and Putin’s war on neighboring Ukraine are the main reasons. Although Ukrainians, mostly females, account for 67.9% of the foreign workers, others come from more than 150 different countries. Belarusians account for 11.75% followed by Georgians (2.5%), Indians (1.9%), Moldovans (1.3%) and Filipinos (1.1%)t.
